Upper Nazareth Township Meetings

Representatives from the township, school district, and engineering firms were on hand to answer questions concerning the installation of a traffic light at Friedenstahl Avenue.

 Township

The township has put the project out to bid and anticipates awarding a contract in March. The cost of the project will be announced then.

• Prep work will start in April.
• Most of the construction should take place when school is not in session
• It is anticipated the project will be finished by early August and before school starts
• A website will be available for daily information

Engineers (Sean Dooley from Keystone Engineers)

The project phases will include:

• Replacing 2 storm water pipes that cross Route 191
• Left hand turn lanes will be added to both directions on Route 191
  • Most of the expansion will take place on the south side of Route 191
  • Electric Polls on that side will have to be moved
• Raise Shoeneck Ave and grade Friedenstahl Ave to level the area for better drainage and to line up the 2 roads
• Install the traffic light

Changes to Traffic Pattern During Construction

• Route 191 will be reduced to a single lane with flaggers, Monday through Friday from 7:00 AM – 8:00 PM (dusk)
  • If needed, construction will continue on Saturdays from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
  • The engineers do not anticipate doing any night work
• Detours
  • During the 1^st stage of the project, the north section of Friedenstahl Ave will be closed
    • Local traffic will detour through the Middle School to Mitchell Avenue to Reno
  • During the 2^nd phase of the project, Shoeneck Ave will be closed
    • Local traffic will detour down Ridge Lane to Deerfield Drive
  • If construction follows the schedule, school buses should not have to be detoured. They will shift their routes if the project runs over
  • Homeowners whose driveways will be impacted will be informed via door-hangers on their mailboxes

Questions/Comments from the Public

• One resident asked what would happen if Route 33 shut down and traffic had to be diverted
  • In that case, construction on the project will be halted and both lanes opened
• One attendee asked if a backhoe might back up into the empty Ranch House building on the corner—accidentally, of course, but not really
  • This suggestion was met with enthusiasm by most attendees
• A representative from the fire department said the light will be equipped with the opticon system to open up a lane to emergency vehicles
• A resident asked about adding a traffic light at the interchange at Route 33 and Tatamy Road. While not in Upper Nazareth, the supervisors have been assured that traffic lights will be installed there and at the Van Buren intersection before the warehouses begin sending out trucks.

Becky Bartlett is a resident of Upper Nazareth and covers these meetings because citizens have a right to know what their government is doing